Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Tuning In To A New Language On The Fly: Effects Of Context And Seasonality On Songbird Brain
New research has shown that exposure to a changed acoustic and social environment can rewire the way the brain processes sounds. Study of the responses of individual brain cells has...
Human yawn contagious to dogs -- a sign of canine empathy, study finds
In a sign they may indeed be best friends, a study finding that dogs tend to yawn after watching a human do it could indicate an ability to share feelings,...
Asthma, Outdoor Air Quality And The Olympic Games
Coinciding with the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, a review article reminds us that the heat and humidity in the Beijing region will present a formidable challenge to all...
Post-partum Suicide Attempt Risks Studied
Although maternal suicide after giving birth is a relatively rare occurrence, suicide attempts often have long-lasting effects on the family and the infant. Researchers compared two populations of mothers and...
When Neurons Fire Up: Study Sheds Light On Rhythms Of The Brain
Neuroscientists have modeled the random synchronization of neuron activation. The findings expand scientists' understanding of brain rhythms, both reoccurring and random, and shed light on the decades-old mystery of how...
Jeers Of Peers May Affect Adolescent Adjustment
A researcher suggests that the struggles of adolescence can be particularly painful for children who also struggle with obesity.
Context And Personality Key In Understanding Responses To Emotional Facial Expressions
It is well-appreciated that facial expressions play a major role in nonverbal social communication among humans and other primates, because faces provide rapid access to information about the identity and...
Alcohol Consumption Declining, According To Results Of New Study
Overall alcohol use -- particularly consumption of beer -- is declining in the US, according to a new study. Researchers examined 50 years of data and found several changes in...
Who would win caveman Olympics?
Olympic athletes may benefit from today's high-tech training, but their gymnastics or wrestling performance probably pales in comparison to what early human ancestors could have pulled off.
Why Some Smokers Become Addicted With Their First Cigarette
New research reveals how the brain processes the "rewarding" and addictive properties of nicotine, providing a better understanding of why some people seemingly become hooked with their first smoke. The...
H&M breastfeeding coverup sparks human rights protest
A Vancouver mother plans to complain to the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal after she was told she had to nurse in the changing room of a major clothing retailer, she...
Bush expected to approve toy safety law
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. lawmakers said President George Bush is expected to sign a law banning lead and six types of phthalates in toys.
Congresswoman Slams Religious Right's Assault on Science's "Edgier" Side [News]
Six-term Democratic Congresswoman Diana DeGette owns a dubious distinction: She is one of the two co-authors of the bill that garnered President George W. Bush's first-ever veto. [More]
Whom do we fear or trust?
A pair of Princeton psychology researchers has developed a computer program that allows scientists to analyze better than ever before what it is about certain human faces that makes them...
Review and Book Talk Link - EVIL GENES: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed, and My Sister Stole My Mother's Boyfriend
With a title and subtitle like Evil Genes: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed, and My Sister Stole My Mother's Boyfriend, Barbara Oakley's book was sure to get attention...
African-American Girls Who Use Marijuana Engage In Riskier Sex, Have Higher STD Rate
Researchers found that black girls who used marijuana had significantly higher rates of incident STDs than non-marijuana users (32 percent compared to 23 percent). Marijuana users also had more sex...
Back To The Future: Psychologists Examine Children's Mental Time Traveling Abilities
Planning and anticipating occur so frequently in our everyday lives that it is hard to imagine a time when we didn’t have this capability. But just as many other capacities...
U.S. money contains highest traces of cocaine
Paper money contains high traces of cocaine, regardless of whether or not the paper money came into direct contact with the drug. And U.S. bills take the top spot, covered...
Aussies don't understand investment
Although men have higher basic financial literacy than women, both sexes are lacking an advanced knowledge of investment matters, a new study has found.
Remedial Instruction Rewires Dyslexic Brains, Provides Lasting Results, Study Shows
A new brain imaging study of dyslexic students and other poor readers shows that the brain can rewire itself and overcome reading deficits, if students are given 100 hours of...
Well: Learning to Be Your Own Best Defense in a Disaster
There are several simple steps we can all take to improve our odds in an emergency.
Pressure Grows for F.B.I.’s Anthrax Evidence
Skepticism from members of Congress and from those who knew Bruce E. Ivins has placed the F.B.I. under scrutiny.
Vital Signs: Patterns: In Older Neighborhoods, Less Weight Gain
A new study reports that people who live in older neighborhoods appear less likely to be overweight.
Mind: You’re Checked Out, but Your Brain Is Tuned In
Research suggests that falling into a numbed trance allows the brain to recast the outside world in ways that can be productive and creative.
Basics: The Nose, an Emotional Time Machine
Olfaction is an ancient sense and in many ways our sense of smell stands alone.
Pet cloning service bears five baby Boogers
California woman pays £25,000 for South Korean scientists to create five identical copies of beloved pit bull terrier
Bird rehab gives young pelicans a second chance
Inexperienced fledglings look in the wrong places -- like fishermen -- for food and end up starving until rescue shelters come along. ...
Internet in New Zealand explored
A study has thrown light on New Zealand's Internet habits and attitudes, showing for instance that 22 per cent of New Zealanders don't use the Internet at all.